Why You Need a ‘Hook’ for Every Episode (& How to Create It!)
How many times have you heard a podcast where the hosts “talk about whatever?”
Sometimes hosts ramble to seem approachable. But when a podcast episode lacks a hook or thesis statement, the audience doesn’t know why they’re paying attention to your show.
When the discourse wanders, the listeners get confused (or worse, bored), and they stop paying attention. Next thing you know, you feel as though you’re talking to the void. Neither you nor your audience can enjoy that for long.
You can avoid this trap easily with a dose of clarity. Let me show you why every episode needs a clear, compelling hook or thesis statement, and how to create and use one effectively. Then, I’ll give you a checklist so you can make absolutely sure your podcast episode’s hook is worth your audience’s time and attention.
What Is a Podcast Hook or “Thesis Statement”, Really?
“Hook” may sound like clickbait, and “thesis statement” may sound dry and academic. To keep it simple, what I mean is an idea, summed up in one sentence, telling your listener, “Here’s what this episode is really about.”
Whether you choose to express the hook or thesis explicitly depends on what kind of show you want to produce. You can introduce your hook to the audience and then review what you’ve covered at the end. Or, you can use it subtextually, like a compass. Whatever you choose, your hook is the glue that holds your episode together.
A hook makes all aspects of your podcast workflow much easier. It’s like the power line on mass transit, guiding your episode to the destination.
Why Does The Hook Matter?
A clear hook, or thesis, makes nearly every aspect of your podcast easier. It can:
- Help you stay on track while hosting
- Simplify editing
- Streamline episode descriptions and social media posts
- Give your audience a specific idea to remember and share
- Turn your podcast episodes into intentionally rewarding experiences, rather than background noise.
The best part is that a hook costs nothing, and weaving it into your podcast is simple. Next, I’ll show you how to make this part of your podcast workflow.
How to Craft a Podcast Hook or Thesis
The simplicity of making a podcast hook is probably why people don’t think of using it.
First, start with your topic. What idea are you sharing in your podcast episode?
Next, ask yourself, “What am I trying to communicate in this episode?”
Then, shape it into a logical argument. This argument should be presented in a single, clear sentence.
For example, let’s say you have a tennis podcast, and you interview a professional tennis player. You could chat about anything, or you can focus on one unique aspect: what’s the best tennis serve and why?
I don’t know much about tennis. But if your podcast told me, “three reasons why the twist serve is the sweetest swing in tennis,” you’d pique my interest. That’s clear, specific, and memorable.
How to Use the Hook or Thesis Throughout Your Episode
Like I said earlier, you can make your hook clear as a bell from intro to outro, or you can use it as a guiding principle. It depends on the kind of episode you want to make. As an example, let’s say that your episode’s hook is “the twist serve is the best swing in tennis.”
Using Your Hook as a Signpost
You can say it out loud, using that hook as a signpost, in
- Your episode’s introduction: “Today, we’ll learn about the twist serve, and three reasons why it’s every tennis pro’s secret weapon. With me today is our special guest…”
- The episode’s outro, to summarize and recap: “So, now we know that the twist serve is what makes tennis champions, because…”
- Your episode’s mid-roll: “We’ll explain more reasons why the twist serve is the home run of tennis, after this word from our sponsors.”
- The episode’s description or title. “Let’s Do The Twist: Three Reasons to Master This Tennis Serve”
Your audience knows exactly why this episode’s information is valuable and what they can do with it.
Your Hook as a Guiding Principle
We all want our podcasts to sound natural and conversational.
Good news: you don’t have to state your hook or thesis explicitly.
The most well-known “talk-about-whatever” podcasts thrive on seeming spontaneous, yet remain dedicated to a central topic.
My Brother, My Brother and Me, for example, appears to be spontaneous banter among the McElroy brothers. But, it’s an advice show, and each episode description teases the talking points.
In another example, The Read, hosts Kid Fury and Crissle West signpost their episode’s sections, with names like Kid Fury’s Sports Shorts or Listener Letters.
You can write your hook at the top of your podcast script or talking points. Use it like a compass. If the conversation strays too far from the hook for too long, you can bring the discussion back on track.
At the end, recap your discussion, featuring the thesis argument or hook. This reminds the audience what they’ve learned from you and why they’ve listened. The audience feels rewarded, since it confirms what they’ve learned from the episode’s question and answer. Include why your hook matters.
Again, your conversation doesn’t have to be a university lecture, but your hook gives you and the audience a point of focus.
Real-World Examples of Podcast Episode Hooks
Here are a couple of episodes that use hooks in different ways. One’s a short, solo episode, and the other is a longer, documentary-style piece. They’ll help you envision very different ways to use your episode hook.
Pocket-Sized Podcasting
Try this episode, for example: Should I Choose a Descriptive Podcast Name? The episode runs less than a minute, comparing the pros and cons of descriptive podcast names. The thesis statement, or main argument, is that descriptive podcast names are immediately identifiable and easy to find. That’s it. That’s the hook.
Radiolab
A more complex example is Radiolab’s recent episode, Baby Shark. The hosts discuss how annoying yet catchy the song “Baby Shark” is, as well as the intricacies of shark reproduction.
The reporter takes the audience to visit scientist Chris Lowe in Malta. Lowe nurtured a shark egg in his home, raised a baby shark, and then released it into the ocean.
Throughout the episode, the hosts and a reporter discuss how Lowe’s project elicited a strong, positive community response. Toward the end, Lowe says,
CHRIS LOWE: So the cool thing for me is if we’ve taught people to fear sharks, we can also unteach them to fear sharks, to appreciate the animal.
By the end, on a subtextual level, the podcast episode returns to its initial idea. The discussion of the “Baby Shark” song seems irrelevant at first. However, if we can accept a song with a “weapons-grade” reputation (as the hosts described it), we can unlearn fear of sharks. That’s the hook, or the thesis.
The podcast episode description phrases the hook as a question. “Can a human raise a shark? And if so, what good is that for sharks? And for us?”
Explicit vs. Implicit Hooks
In the first example, making the thesis explicit makes sense. The episode’s a quick podcasting tip.
Radiolab promotes discovery; the show illustrates scientific study through sound. The thesis or hook is implicit in the story the episode tells. This way, the audience feels as though they discover the hook as they vividly imagine the episode’s scientific study.
If you’re just starting your first podcast, consider making your hooks as clear as street signs and map directions. Over time, as your podcast workflow becomes routine and you build an audience, you can keep your hook in the background.
Either way, write your podcast episode’s hook first.
Validating Your Content Hook
How do you know if your podcast episode’s hook is clear and effective enough? Here’s a checklist that can help you evaluate whether or not your episode is intentional, relevant, and deserving of your audience’s attention.
The ‘Take Five’ Content Validation Framework
- Personal Value: Does this material genuinely matter to me, or connect to my experience?
- Audience Relevance: Does this serve my listeners, meeting them where they are right now in their journey?
- Clear Purpose: Can I explain why this matters in three sentences or fewer?
- Unique Angle: What’s my specific perspective, experience, or take that makes this worth their time?
- Audience Fit: Does this match my show’s scope and audience expectations without being too basic or too advanced?
When you can answer ”yes” to at least four of these five questions without hesitation, congratulations! Your episode delivers valuable ideas; you’re not just manufacturing audible wallpaper.
Bear in mind that you don’t have to be an expert. Instead, think of yourself as a trusted researcher, investigator, or interpreter of ideas. In our tennis example, nobody said you have to demonstrate flawless tennis serves. Instead, you’re curating information that supports your argument, so your audience better understands tennis.
Make Every Episode Count
Many podcast descriptions claim that the host discusses whatever comes to mind, often using “pop culture” or “current events” as a catch-all phrase. Nobody wants to hear a person hit record and hope for the best.
When your episode has a clear hook or thesis, it’s like giving the audience a gift and packaging it properly.
Audiences have choices. No matter how exciting any other aspect of your podcast is, without a clear purpose to every episode, listeners will inevitably get bored and turn their attention elsewhere.
A strong hook tells the audience, “This idea is worth your time and attention.”
When you build your episodes purposefully, your podcast earns your audience’s attention. They’ll come back for more and tell their friends.
The Alitu Showplanner can help you establish the details for your podcast’s mission. You’ll walk through straightforward questions and generate an action plan for your new show. All the information can help you come up with a hook or thesis that makes audiences come back for more.
